Jewellery News and Reviews

A diamond has long been acknowledged as the hardest substance on the earth known to mankind. No matter where in the world you live, everyone knows that diamonds are highly valued and treasured in all cultures and countries around the globe. What is not as well known is what diamonds are composed of, how they are formed and what it is about them that makes them so very valuable and highly desirable.

A diamond is actually a mineral and begins life as carbon which is then formed over many, many years. In order for the carbon deposits to form into a diamond, the substance must be subjected to certain conditions that tempers and changes the mineral into the rare and beautiful gem. The first diamonds were recorded to have been discovered some 3000 years ago in India.

Ever since those days, diamonds have enjoyed a reputation for their value and their beauty. They are held by many as symbols of status, quality, abundance, power and even royalty. The term diamond comes from the Greek word “adamas,” which mean indomitable.

In fact, in many ancient civilizations, the diamonds were worn by warriors as they marched into battle to symbolize courage, strength and invincibility. This is just one of many examples of how the diamond has become such an integral part of culture, history and lore of many countries.

Today, the majority of the stones come from mines that are located in the countries of central and southern Africa. However, there are still significant numbers of the rare and precious gems that are mined in other parts of the world such as Brazil, Australia, Canada and Siberia, which boasts the single largest diamond mine in the world.

Anyone who has ever shopped for a diamond ring, diamond earrings, or other diamond jewelry are probably very well aware that the De Beers company controls a huge portion of the diamond market. The stones must meet stringent quality standards and the De Beers company is one of the diamond suppliers that is well known for the high quality of gems that they bring to the market. In fact, in some parts of the world, De Beers has even been accused on monopolizing the entire diamond market because of the considerable control they have.

There is no doubt that the diamond is still one of the most desirable and treasured gems of any that are available. Virtually all high-end jewelry is embellished with a diamond or two, which immediately makes a statement about the person wearing such a fine piece of body jewelry. A diamond engagement ring is certainly considered to be the standard that symbolizes love, romance and commitment.

Diamonds will vary a great deal in price based upon on the quality classification of the gem. Four aspects are considered when evaluating the diamond’s value. These four characteristics are the Four “C”s and they are clarity, cut, color and carat.

Whether you are looking specifically for blue diamond jewelry or any other type, you need to know that buying diamond jewelry takes some skill. Sure you can just buy whatever pieces you think are pretty to the eye and which you like looking at, but you want to make sure that you are getting the best value for your money, getting pieces that are authentic and not cheap knock offs.

There are a few basic guidelines that you should stick to when you are shopping for diamond jewelry, to make sure that you come out of this all with the best possible results.

The Four C’s

One of the most important tips to remember when looking for diamond jewelry involves the four C’s of diamonds: cut, clarity, color, and carat weight. These are all very important, and will make sure that you choose the best diamond pieces. Let’s start with the cut of the diamond, and the brilliance of a diamond depends critically on its cut.

Then there is the clarity, which basically means what the visibility of the diamond is. Diamonds that are clear will create more brilliance, and so this is what you want to look for. In terms of the color of the diamond, colorless diamonds are the most desirable because they allow the most refraction of light, but other colors are quickly gaining in popularity as well, namely yellow and pink.

When you are buying diamond jewelry you are also going to need to consider the carat weight, which basically tells you what a piece is going to be worth. A carat is the unit of weight by which a diamond is measured, and because larger diamonds are found less commonly than small diamonds, they are worth more the larger they get.

Also when buying diamond jewelry, you should always make sure that you deal with the best stores. You want to go shopping at companies that have been in the industry for a good amount of time and who have a large following of customers. This way you know that you are starting off in the greatest possible way and dealing with someone who knows what they are doing.

Buying jewelry of any sort does not have to be difficult, as long as you are educated and understand what you are supposed to be looking for. These tips will help make sure that you get only the best diamond pieces.

For many centuries, the first thing that sprang to mind when the word “diamonds” was mentioned was a mental image of those gloriously sparkling, pure clear gemstones that are known to adorn so many pieces of fine jewelry. However, these days when people are in the mood to shop for some diamond jewelry they are likely to encounter color options in these stones, including the black diamond.

There was a time when a diamond of this darkest color was considered to be damaged, flawed, imperfect and virtually worthless. But that opinion has changed significantly and black diamonds are quickly becoming one of the unique league of gems that are being more and more sought-after, precisely because of their rarity and their exquisite uniqueness.

There are many who have started to think that the fashion jewelry bling and much of the diamond jewelry available is becoming commonplace and ordinary. For those who feel that way, a black diamond might be the solution. They can enjoy showing off their bling while still having something unique that very few others own.

If you are in the market for black diamonds, then you should know that they are not all “created equal” and some care and attention needs to be given to the various characteristics of this unique gemstone. As with any type of rare gem, it is important to be sure about the quality of the stone before making a purchase.

First of all, it should be known that black diamonds can vary in color and might appear to be light gray or smoky, dark gray or pure black. What give these diamonds their tint and smoky color is inclusions of various types of minerals in the stone. The most common mineral inclusions in these black beauties are various iron oxides, such as hematite, sulfide, or magnetite.

The higher the concentration of oxides, the darker and richer the tone, from a light gray all the way to black. This tinting is caused not by impurities, but by the inclusions, and black diamonds are typically opaque. However, there are some specimens that are semi-transparent or even translucent, and these are extremely rare and even more valuable.

Carbonados are a classification of black diamonds which have virtually no value in terms of the gem in the jewelry industry. Even though they might be labeled as black diamonds, carbonados are very porous and they are much more common, and therefore carry less value than the gem-quality stones. In fact, the most common use for carbonados is as an abrasive and they are often used to cut and to shape the high-quality diamond stones.

You won’t see a huge inventory of black diamond jewelry in most jewelry store cases because a black diamond can be quite a bit more expensive than the standard variety that we know and love. A good way to make the most of one of these black or gray diamonds to is have one set as the main stone in a piece of jewelry art, and then surround that stone with others that are less expensive. In this way, the overall cost is kept down while allowing the black gem to be highlighted.

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